April 2011

Unlike Seattle and its Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement project, there will be no tunnel controversy in SeaTac--the Port of Seattle has opted for a bridge.

SeaTac City Council members approved April 12 an interlocal agreement with the Port for a bridge crossing over South 188th Street in the vicinity of 28th Avenue South. The aerial crossing would be part of the Port's South Access Road connecting to the state Route 509 Extension.

Of course, the SR-509 Extension has been delayed for years and no one can predict when it will be approved. SR-509 was slated to extend beyond its present dead end at South 188th Street to connect with Interstate 5. The connection was planned to expedite freight traffic between Seattle and the Kent Valley.

But, although much of the design work and right-of-way acquisition have been completed to the point where many consider the 509 project "shovel-ready," construction funding has been elusive. That leaves the freight truck-free SR-509 through Burien as a private freeway for Highline residents.

The Ballard News-Tribune received a news-tip this morning that a local homeless man was found dead behind dumpsters on N.W. Market Street early this morning.

The police just confirmed that they indeed received a call at 7:17 a.m. this morning regrading a dead man behind a dumpster on 2800th block of N.W. Market Street

Officer Scott McGlashan said the 47-year-old man was a local transient known to other transients as "Fall-down Ken" due to seizures and other medical issues he suffered from.

Homicide and Crime Scene Investigation detectives responded to the scene to investigate and search for evidence out of an abundance of caution but SPD reports that there was no obvious sign of trauma to the victim.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct their own separate investigation to determine the cause of death.

His death comes just mere weeks after another local transient was found dead at the Ballard Locks.

At the Ballard District Council meeting last night, the members voted to move three Neighborhood Projects Funds proposals on to the next round.

Earlier this year, the city put out a call for small scale improvements to parks and transportation proposed by citizens and neighborhood groups to be considered for funding from the Neighborhood Projects Funds (NPF). The city received 14 proposals from citizens and community groups in the Ballard district and after review, a four-member review committee, appointed by the Ballard District Council, narrowed the list down to three recommendations.

While the NPF is intended for any small scale transportation and parks improvements, the Ballard NPF Review Committee favored proposals dealing with traffic safety.

"Some projects proposed murals. Murals are great. We love murals but it's not a safety issue," Joe Wert, Ballard NFP Review Committee member

In a campus-wide email sent out Thursday, April 14, Highline Community College administrators announced budget cuts for the upcoming academic year. Highline faces a cut of $1.86 million in addition to the already more than $3.5 million in reductions taken since 2009.

The college's main campus is located in Des Moines.

The current round of cuts will result in the elimination of 22 positions across the campus, bringing the total to 72 positions lost since 2009. These figures do not include reductions made to part-time faculty and staff, cutbacks that further strain institutional capacity and result in fewer classes and diminished services for students.

Other reductions will impact instructional equipment and supplies.

"The state remains in the difficult position of developing a budget that invests in Washington's competitiveness and its future. As a result, the college must make tough choices that affect access and capacity," said Highline President Jack Bermingham. "Our priority is to protect our capacity and to preserve the quality and core mission of the college."

Press Release:
King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn today announced a long-term agreement in principle for use of the King County Jail as the primary provider of bed space for the City’s misdemeanor inmates over the next two decades.

“With the County jail next door to the City’s courts, it just makes sense for us to provide space for City inmates awaiting trial,” said Executive Constantine. “We’ve worked hard to create a durable agreement that keeps costs down and protects the public, and I thank the Mayor and City Council for their partnership.”

“Over the past year, I have heard concerns from the community about holding inmates outside of the city,” said Mayor McGinn. “I looked at the books and spoke with the County Executive. This new deal saves Seattle money and supports a more equitable environment for public defenders and low-income inmates.”

The statement of principles signed by the Executive and Mayor, for negotiation of a new Jail Services Agreement, calls for:

· A commitment from King County to provide Seattle with up to 228 jail bed spaces in 2012, rising to 335 by 2030.

It's time for the spring edition of the monthly West Seattle Artwalk from 6:00 to 9:00 pm tonight.
Businesses all over West Seattle are featuring artists and their work, many locations offering wine and snacks as an enticement to stop by.

Over 60 merchants in the West Seattle Junction, Alki Beach, Admiral District, Morgan Junction, Fauntleroy District and Delridge, are part of the monthly event.

The full list of participating merchants is available on the Artwalk blog and more information is available on the Artwalk Facebook page.

Photographer Kurt Howard captured these images of Tyee's 11-1 victory over Foster on April 11.

SLIDESHOW: CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO PLAY SLIDESHOW.

In anticipation of a federal shutdown last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prepared itself for the closure of Corps-operated parks as well as certain operations, including the Ballard Locks and park grounds.

In case of a federal shutdown, the Chittenden Locks would have remained open to vessel traffic but staffing would have been limited and the park grounds would have been closed.

"The locks made the President's Budget for 2012 and this year," said Colonel Anthony Wright at the Ballard District Council last night.

"For the next two years I'm very confident. After that I don't know what will happen."

Colonel Wright has operated the Ballard Locks and lived at the Locks in the "Colonel's Residence" for the past three years.

"I am proud to say I have the best yard in Ballard," Wright said. "It's a special place to love. Sometimes kind of like a zoo."

Glad with the continued funding, Wright said the Ballard Locks and surrounding park grounds are maintained and operated by more than 40 people.

By Samantha Getz, Intern

The Ballard Jazz Festival will kick off its eighth annual event next week with a promise to keep it Ballard-style.

“We’ve kind of given in to the fact that it needs to be funky and quirky,” organizer Matt Jorgensen said.

The festival welcomes jazz-loving old-timers as much as hipsters and bar hoppers.

“What’s unique about it is that it’s a musician-run festival,” Jorgensen said.

Hosted by Ballard’s Origin Records, the event was created in 2003 to support the local jazz scene and give it a proper performance arena, without the cost and stipulations of a corporate-run show. In the last eight years, the event has more than doubled the amount of bands and venues.

“It’s a chance to showcase the incredible talent we have here in Seattle,” Jorgensen said.

The complete production of the event is local as well, from the posters and t-shirts being printed to the sale of CDs afterward in Ballard’s record stores.

“We’re a big believer in localism,” Jorgensen said.

In the last few years, the festival has grown from a one-night mini-fest to a four-day ordeal.

This weekend, you can tour Built Green® homes in more than 28 locations from West Seattle to the South Sound as part of a special Green Tour sponsored by the South Sound and Seattle Chapters of the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild.



“These Green Tours represent an incredible opportunity to continue to drive the Guild’s mission of not only supporting the progressive work of our members, but educating the public about the many ways to improve the relationship between our communities and our built environment,” said Fiona Douglas-Hamilton, Guild President.



The tours are free and open to the general public, and will run all weekend April 16 & 17th, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm daily. They will highlight a variety of green building, remodeling and retrofitting techniques, as well as a host of greener lifestyle options, including:



•    The new Passive House standard, demonstrating the value of super energy-efficient construction

•    How homes and their occupants can approach ‘Net Zero Energy’ use

•    Built Green®, NW Energy Star Homes, and LEED for Homes certified projects.